Nelson Mandela

There is so much to learn from Mandela!  If anyone could hold a grudge it was this man, but he did not! It was a sad day when the world lost him!

Two great movies about his life!

Historical Thinking Skills!

Today in class we discussed the nine historical thinking skills!  The APUSH Exam is designed around them - so you must know them!!!!

The link below is the College Board explanation of the historical thinking skills.  Know these!!!!

College Board Historical Thinking Skills

Skills Needed For The Future!

Over the summer I was inspired to ask my friends on Facebook what skills a young person needs for the real world?  I was  surprised over the response!  Over 40 people responded with wisdom!  Here is what they said you need to know to be successful in life:

Life Skills like cooking, cleaning, and money

Work/People Skills - Be Able to work with people!

How to study/research

Giving back to your community

Interview training

Note taking

How to think on your feet

Problem solve

Adapt - Especially when something does not go as planned

Taxes

Take responsibility for your actions

Ask questions

Self assessment

Do Not Stress

Suck it up!

This is advice from adults who have been in your shoes!  Life is too short to learn everything on your own! 

OKC Bombing Memorial

This last weekend I was in OKC to get   my monthly infusion.  I decided to visit the OKC Bombing Memorial.  I forgot all the emotions you feel when you stand in that sacred place!  I was hit with sadness, disbelief, shock, and so many more!  When you stand there, and realize what happened on April 19, 1995 it is almost to handle!   But you must go there, and never forget what happened there!

Before 9/11 this was the largest terrorist attack on US soil, and even today it is the largest domestic terrorist attack!  Every American needs to go to this Memorial, and it is in our backyard!!!!

The saddest  part are the chairs!  And they have little ones for the children that died!

The Survivor Tree

Draw Your Future

This is a fun TED Talk that looks at how to obtain your dreams! Worth the watch!

Tips For Success

One of my favorite things about history is that you can learn life lessons.  Trust me life is too short to try to learn all the lessons.  This series on YouTube is fantastic!  Successful people share their top 10 ways to success.  These people have done it!  So much to learn!

Here is Oprah:

Storming of the Bastille

Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix

This painting has become a symbol of the French Revolution

I love the French Revolution!  I could talk about it all day.  I love Robespierre, and one year I read every book I could get my hands on!  Then one night i had a dream that I time traveled back to Revolutionary France, and had dinner with Robespierre.  I knew I had tto stop reading!

Today is Bastille Day in France (July 14th) - their Independence Day!  The storming of the Bastille was a significant moment in the French Revolution.  France was divided into 3 Estates.  The second Estate was the nobility of France, and they wanted more power in society.  France had a Monarch who did not want to give the 2nd Estate more power.

Louis the 16th - King of France during thee Revolution

France was in a  financial crisis.  Every financial adviser told King Louis that he must tax the 2nd Estate.  The 1st and 2nd Estate did not pay taxes.  The 3rd Estate did, and what was ironic was that the 3rd Estate was poor, and did not have money.  No wonder France could not get out of debt!  Every time King Louis mentioned the 2nd Estate paying taxes - they freaked out!  King Louis had a plan to tax them, and instead of making them pay - he asked them to vote on it.  

One problem with King Louis the 16th had no back bone!  With his  power he could just make them do it, but instead he engaged with them.  King Louis needed the 2nd Estate to vote so he called the Estates General.  It had not been called in over 150 years.  That tells you something.  The Estates General was made up of all three Estates, and each Estate has one vote.  King Louis the 16th wanted the Estates to vote on his tax measure, and be done with it!  He would of had no idea it would last the whole summer!

The Estates General

It is May 1789, and the 2nd Estate had no intention of voting.  Instead the debated and discussed.  Poor King Louis is asking everyone to vote!  But no one will!  He is very frustrated!  So he hired a foreign army to force the Estates General to vote!  The mobs in Paris heard this news, and wanted to protect the General.  To do that they stormed the Bastille to get weapons and demolish the symbol of the old regime.

The Bastille represented the Old Regime or King Louis the 16th.  That is why this prison was selected! There were only less than 10 people in the prison, but it represented the evils of the monarchy!  They liberated the prisoners, took the weapons, tore the prison down brick by brick, and marched to Versailles where the Estates General was to protect them from the monarchy.

They used the bricks from the Bastille to build a bridge going to the assembly - so for the rest of time people would trample on the old regime.  This was a big moment!

The bridge built with the Bastille

What is left of the Bastille - it is a subway stop in Paris